Victor Ikpeba
Encyclopedia
Victor Nosa Ikpeba is a former football forward from Nigeria
. He has played thirty international matches and scored three goals for Nigeria
, and played at the FIFA World Cup
s in 1994
and 1998
. He also helped win the 1994 African Nations Cup and the Olympic gold medal in 1996
.
during the 1989 FIFA U-17 World Championship, and moved to play in Belgium
together with teammate Sunday Oliseh. At the age of 20, after scoring 17 goals in 1992-93. Ikpeba was bought by French side AS Monaco then coached by Arsène Wenger
, where he gradually became a success, albeit with a tough start. He showed outstanding form subsequent to the 1996 Olympics
, scoring 13 league goals to help AS Monaco win the league title. His performances earned him the African Footballer of the Year
award in 1997. Two successful seasons followed. While at Monaco, Ikpeba nearly signed for Italian club Reggina, but his wife, unwilling to give up life in France, locked him in their house on the day he was to sign his contract.
Ikpeba teamed up with Sunday Oliseh at Borussia Dortmund
in 1999, for a transfer fee of £4.8m. Ikpeba scored only two goals in his first season in the Bundesliga
and barely played in his second, after falling out with the coach Matthias Sammer
. Looking for a move abroad, Ikpeba turned down Southampton
, to join Real Betis
on a season-long loan. Things went further downhill for the player in Spain
as he was criticised for being oveweight by the coach, after making just one appearance for the club. He didn't feature for Betis again up until the last two games of the season.
Ikpeba then signed a season-long contract with Libya
n Al-Ittihad, but only played out half of his contract with the club, as he quit the team over financial disagreements. After leaving Libya and spending almost a year without a club, Ikpeba returned to Belgium
, where he joined his former Liege coach at Charleroi
. After helping the club to avoid relegation, Ikpeba came very close to signing with the German Bundesliga
side SC Freiburg
, but the deal fell through when it was revealed that the player had no EU passport. Ikpeba then had a short spell at Al-Sadd
in Qatar
, before retiring from professional football.
with his three children. His wife Atinuke died in May 2000 at the age of 26, after losing her battle with breast cancer
.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. He has played thirty international matches and scored three goals for Nigeria
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
, and played at the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
s in 1994
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
and 1998
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
. He also helped win the 1994 African Nations Cup and the Olympic gold medal in 1996
Football at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The association football competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held in Birmingham, Alabama; Washington, D.C; Orlando, Florida; Miami, Florida; and Athens, Georgia....
.
Career
Ikpeba was discovered by Belgian club RFC LiégeoisR.F.C. de Liège
Royal Football Club de Liège is a Belgian football club from the city of Liège. It currently plays in the Belgian Third Division. Its matricule is 4, meaning that it was the fourth club to register with the country's national federation, and the club was the first Belgian champion in history...
during the 1989 FIFA U-17 World Championship, and moved to play in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
together with teammate Sunday Oliseh. At the age of 20, after scoring 17 goals in 1992-93. Ikpeba was bought by French side AS Monaco then coached by Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
, where he gradually became a success, albeit with a tough start. He showed outstanding form subsequent to the 1996 Olympics
Football at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The association football competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held in Birmingham, Alabama; Washington, D.C; Orlando, Florida; Miami, Florida; and Athens, Georgia....
, scoring 13 league goals to help AS Monaco win the league title. His performances earned him the African Footballer of the Year
African Footballer of the Year
The African Footballer of the Year award, presented to the best African football player each year, has been conferred by the Confederation of African Football since 1992. An earlier African Footballer of the Year Golden Ball award was given out between 1970 and 1994 by France Football magazine...
award in 1997. Two successful seasons followed. While at Monaco, Ikpeba nearly signed for Italian club Reggina, but his wife, unwilling to give up life in France, locked him in their house on the day he was to sign his contract.
Ikpeba teamed up with Sunday Oliseh at Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
in 1999, for a transfer fee of £4.8m. Ikpeba scored only two goals in his first season in the Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
and barely played in his second, after falling out with the coach Matthias Sammer
Matthias Sammer
Matthias Sammer is a retired German football player and coach who is now working as technical director of the DFB . He played as a midfielder, and later in his career as a sweeper....
. Looking for a move abroad, Ikpeba turned down Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, to join Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
on a season-long loan. Things went further downhill for the player in Spain
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
as he was criticised for being oveweight by the coach, after making just one appearance for the club. He didn't feature for Betis again up until the last two games of the season.
Ikpeba then signed a season-long contract with Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n Al-Ittihad, but only played out half of his contract with the club, as he quit the team over financial disagreements. After leaving Libya and spending almost a year without a club, Ikpeba returned to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, where he joined his former Liege coach at Charleroi
R. Charleroi S.C.
Sporting du Pays de Charleroi is a Belgian football club based in the city of Charleroi, in the province of Hainaut. Charleroi plays in the Belgian Pro League and their current spell at the highest level in Belgian football has started in the 1985–86 season...
. After helping the club to avoid relegation, Ikpeba came very close to signing with the German Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
side SC Freiburg
SC Freiburg
Sport-Club Freiburg, commonly known as SC Freiburg, is a German association football club, based in the city of Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg. SC Freiburg has played in the Bundesliga, the top tier of German football, since their promotion in 2009...
, but the deal fell through when it was revealed that the player had no EU passport. Ikpeba then had a short spell at Al-Sadd
Al-Sadd
Sadd Sports Club known as Al-Sadd Club is a Qatari sports club, best known for its football team of the Qatar National First Division, from the city of Doha. The club goes with the Nickname "Al-Zaeem", which translates to "The Boss", and was founded by four students on the October 21, 1969 in...
in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, before retiring from professional football.
Personal
Ikpeba now lives in MonacoMonaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
with his three children. His wife Atinuke died in May 2000 at the age of 26, after losing her battle with breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
.